Black-tailed prairie dogs and the structure of avian communities on the shortgrass plains

Abstract

We tested the hypothesis that black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) influence avian community structure on the shortgrass prairie. We surveyed 36 prairie dog towns and 36 paired sites without prairie dogs during summer and fall of 1997, 1998, and 1999 in the Oklahoma Panhandle. Our surveys totaled 9,040 individual observations for 73 avian species. Significantly distinct avian communities were present on prairie dog towns when compared to sites within four different macrohabitats of the surrounding landscape: open rangeland, scrub/sandsage (Artemisia filifolia) habitats, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) plots, and fallow crop fields. Relative densities of all bird species combined was higher on prairie dog towns versus paired sites in summer and fall. Mean species richness of birds was significantly higher on prairie dog towns than paired sites during summer, but there were no significant differences in fall. Open rangeland had the highest mean species richness in fall. Assemblages of avian communities differed significantly between prairie dog towns and the four macrohabitat types during summer. Burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia), killdeer (Charadrius vociferous), horned larks (Eremophila alpestris), and meadowlarks (Sturnella spp.) were positively and significantly associated with prairie dog towns during summer, while horned larks and ferruginous hawks (Buteo regalis) were significantly associated with prairie dog towns during fall. Even in their current remnant state, black-tailed prairie dogs continue to play a significant role in the assembly of ecological communities across the Great Plains. Conservation of prairie dogs goes well beyond a single species, and is an important strategy for the preservation of the prairie ecosystem as a whole.

Benthic Habitat Modification through Excavation by Red Grouper, Epinephelus morio, in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico

“…These sites also provide refuge to a host of other species [12], affecting the diversity and abundance of a suite of predators, other burrowers, and avian communities [14].…”

Spatiotemporal dynamics of black-tailed prairie dog colonies affected by plague

“…Despite the reduction in their distribution over the past century, black-tailed prairie dogs are still widespread in some portions of the shortgrass steppe and mixed-grass prairie (Sidle et al 2001;White et al 2005;Proctor et al 2006), and their influence on vegetation dynamics has significant implications for both livestock and the conservation of native plants and animals (Whicker and Detling 1988;Lomolino and Smith 2003;Smith and Lomolino 2004;Kretzer and Cully 2001;Derner et al 2006). …”

“…Most research concerning effects of black-tailed prairie dogs in grasslands has focused on the unique community and ecosystem characteristics that occur on prairie dog colonies compared to adjacent non-colonized grassland (e.g. Whicker and Detling 1988;Kotliar et al 1999;Kretzer and Cully 2001;Smith and Lomolino 2004). Little consideration has been given to identifying the characteristics of prairie dog colony disturbance such as frequency (number of disturbances per unit time), predictability (variance in the mean time between disturbances), and turnover rate (mean time to disturb entire area; Sousa 1984).…”

Mongolian Racerunners (Eremias argus) Occupancy in Active and Inactive Siberian Marmot (Marmota sibirica) Colonies

“…Siberian marmots appear to play a similar ecological role to that of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) in the Great Plains of North America [8][9][10][11][12][13]. For example, prairie dog and kangaroo rat mounds provide cool, moist microclimates and harbor large numbers of arthropods, the principle prey of lizards, so lizards may also associate strongly with mound habitats for temperature regulation and abundance of prey [14,15].…”